Crossing the Heart of Africa

Feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of his upcoming wedding and the the lifelong commitment of marriage, Julian Smith decided to follow the path of explorer Ewart Grogran. The Victorian made a two-year overland trek across the length of Africa in the hope of gaining the hand of his love, Gertrude. Narrator Michael Goldstrom adopts an introspective, understated tone in recounting details of Smith's relationship and doubts, and he's engaging as he delivers the colorful Grogran's own story. Goldstrom's African accents help to bring verisimilitude to the dialogue and adventures. As the author acknowledges, the two parallel stories are, in fact, not very similar. But the journeys, both personal and physical, are intriguing, and Goldstrom does a wonderful job of presenting them to the listener. S.E.G. (c) AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine